Loyal Wooldridge will officially represent the B.C. New Democratic Party (NDP) as a candidate for Kelowna Centre in the upcoming provincial election.
“I’m ready to go door-knocking,” said Wooldridge, who has been a Kelowna City Councillor for the last six years.
He said that as a representative for the NDP, he is hoping to “ build a more inclusive community.”
Approximately 100 people gathered at Sprout Bread on May 8, in the heart of the Kelowna Centre riding for Wooldridge’s appointment.
The new riding spans from McKinley Road to KLO Road and from Okanagan Lake to Highway 97.
Wooldridge was the only person to put their name forward to be the candidate for the NDP in the riding, and as a result was automatically nominated without the need for a party vote.
He said that Kelowna is the fastest growing municipality in Canada and within the city, the downtown urban centre is experiencing the most growth.
“That is going to strain our infrastructure immensely,” said Wooldridge. To keep pace with the growth, he said that upgrades and expansions to transportation services, healthcare, housing and schools will be essential.
Wooldridge will be running for a seat in the B.C. Legislature against Dr. Michael Humer with BC United, and Kristina Loewen with the Conservative Party of BC.
In preparation for the nomination, Wooldridge voluntarily stepped down as the board chair for the Regional District Central Okanagan to “be transparent and act with integrity,” and is no longer acting on any external committees.
He will, however, stay active with the RDCO as a director for the City of Kelowna.
Wooldridge will also take a leave from city council after the writ drops.
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